As has become tradition this time of year, DeKalb County’s best in wrestling and swimming collided over the weekend.

Those left standing — having survived and thrived on competition as heated as ever — claimed gold. Those who fell short were left with sufficient motivation to rise above the field at respective upcoming state tourneys and next year’s county clashes.

 Golden Grapplers

Marist claimed the 2013 William S. Venable DeKalb County Wrestling Championship team title in dramatic fashion.

Brinson won by default over Miller Grove’s Wesley Williams 4 minutes 32 seconds into their match to take the 195 title. Trainor followed with a 10-2 decision over Lithonia’s Devon Wallace and Steven Wallace rounded out the day with a 13-9 decision over Miller Grove’s Thadius Nelson.

Stephenson’s Darian Perry won the 170-pound division — as well as the William S. Venable MVP Award in leading the Jaguars to a fifth-place

finish overall.

Deunte Mosley paced Stone Mountain to an eighth-place finish

by winning the 160-pound division gold. Alema Favors led Arabia Mountain to a top 10 finish by taking the 126 class title.

Dunwoody’s Sunny Sharma also won gold, taking the 113 division title.

 Star Swimmers shine

Chamblee snapped Lakeside’s nearly decade-long reign atop the county on the boys’ side at the DeKalb Swimming Championships.

Caleb Wikle got the Bulldogs off to a rousing start by winning the one-meter diving title. Teammate Nicholas Oh won gold in the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard freestyle while Alex Kemenenov won the 50-yard freestyle — to go along with team wins in the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay.

Other winners:

 Justin Wulff, Dunwoody (200 and 500 freestyle)

 Cash DeLoache, Tucker (100 butterfly, 100 backstroke)

 Jackson Ford, Druid Hills (100 breast stroke)

The Lakeside girls’ team won their second consecutive DeKalb title, outpointing Dunwoody and Chamblee.

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